Today’s Gospel reminded me of a story of when I was growing up. I remember one of my friends telling me that if you frown 100 times, you will create a
new wrinkle. So, what did I do? I went to go try it out.
I climbed up on the bathroom counter and sat in front of the mirror, and I frowned, and frowned, and frowned.
I got up to 70 frowns when I mom called me to get ready for supper. When supper was over, I decided to try again,
but it was pointless. By the 20th
frown, I just gave up… I had better
things to do than sit in front of a mirror and frown; ya know, like playing with my
batman action figures or pestering my older brother.
As I prepared for this reflection today, my frowning episode helped me understand the approach I’ve had to forgiveness in my life. The Book of Matthew presents us with the infamous question that every person having
a grudge wants answered: “How often must I forgive?” (Mt. 18:21) St. Peter sets the bar at 7 times, but in my heart of hearts, I
always thought that just wasn’t enough…
Our Gospel reading today says that “Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not
seven times but seventy-seven times.’”(Mt. 18:22)
Now, I grew up in the Church of Christ, and I learned this passage from
the King James Version of the text,
where the number of times one forgives is not
77, but “70 times 7.” which comes out to 490.
Thank God for Catholic translations!
I can do 77 times. I’ll just keep a tally of the times someone
has ticked me off, and when they get to that ripe number of 77,
<< as is sure to happen rather quickly >>
I will, with righteous anger
cast them from my presence into the pit
of my passive aggressive grudge-holding.
Only it’s never really worked that way…
Even when I intended to keep a “tally
of wrongs” for someone (usually with my brother), I came to the realization
rather quickly that if I were truthful
in my forgiveness, I would grow in my
relationship with the other person.
Then it would become clear to me:
<< God is not giving me a “tally board,” He’s giving me a chance to
love; to learn to love as He does. >>
This has made me think of the times here on the hill when I have held a grudge;
when I have avoided others, felt annoyed at their presence, and harbored
ill-will toward them when I should have
seen them as my brother.
<< In the
end, I realized that they may not be
the ones who need forgiveness. >>
It is fortunate then, my brothers,
that we are blessed to witness true forgiveness everyday on the altar.
It is there that God gives us a perfect example
of how to forgive in the Passion of our
Lord.
It is there that we see the tally of our own wrongs crucified in God’s loving redemption.
It is there that we realize how foolish we have
been to sit in front of the mirror of
our sins reflected upon others.
And it is there we see
that we are called to better things,
ya know,
like being saints.
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